There are several disturbing stats that would lead you to understand how one-sided Florida’s season opener against Miami (Ohio) will be this weekend at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Yes, I realize that the RedHawks return 10 starters on the offensive side of the football and 9 more on the defensive side. Remember, this was a young team that went 1-11 a year ago. They didn’t win five for six games, they won just one. Let me give you a few that hit you in the face:

 

Scoring 

The Miami (Ohio) offense averaged only 15.6 points per game. They return nearly everybody against a Florida defense that must replace Brandon Spikes, Joe Haden, Carlos Dunlap, Jermaine Cunningham, and Major Wright. The Gators have recruited far too much talent to leave the cupboard bare.

Defensively, the RedHawks allowed 34.2 points per game. Just for kicks, let’s assume Miami (Ohio) improves by two touchdowns. Okay? That still leaves the RedHawks defense allowing 20+ points per game. Wow!!

 

Total Offense

The RedHawks surrendered 377.3 yards per game last year, including nearly 200 yards (186) on the ground. The Gators return three experienced linemen and all of their backs. In fact, head coach Urban Meyer has stated that the running back position is probably in the best shape since he took over at Florida in 2005. That simply can’t bode well for the Hawks.

 

Turnovers

Miami (Ohio) quarterbacks were picked off an incredible 21 times last season. Furthermore, while opponents were unable to secure the football very often, the RedHawks put it on the ground 21 times. The number 42 is staggering. If they haven’t learned to take care of the football, it will be a long hot afternoon in the blazing Florida sun.

 

Sacks

The good news…Miami (Ohio) returns their entire offensive line. The RedHawks allowed 58 quarterback sacks. Yes, 58!! The bad news…Miami (Ohio) returns their entire offensive line.

With a solid push from the inside and some occasional pressure from blitzing linebackers, Florida defensive ends Justin Trattou and Duke Lemmens might look like four year starters.

 

By: Lauren Lettelier

 

On September 4^th, the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks and the Florida Gators, two teams who haven’t the opportunity to face each other in the past 20 years, will kickoff the 2010 season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

 

As most football fans know, this crucial game will set the tempo of the rest of the season for the players, coaches and fans. Winning is the first order of business on the to-do list for every team, as well as giving newbies and veterans the time to earn their spot in the starting lineup for the weeks ahead.

 

For the Miami RedHawks, the matchup with the renowned University of Florida National Champion football program maybe a little bit more than they can chew.

 

But they are going to try and pull it off anyway.

 

The RedHawks return 16 starters on their offensive unit, 16 starters from their defense and six from the special teams group. They are leaning on their experienced players to bring some leadership to the table.

 

Head Coach Michael Haywood is entering his second year as the head coach of the RedHawks. Last season, the RedHawks ended the season with a dismal overall record of 1-11, leaving Haywood with the opportunity to fire and hire.

 

Coach Haywood promoted some of his staff during the offseason. J.D. Vondeheide was promoted from the offensive assistant coach position to the tight ends coach position. Morris Watts was also promoted to a more team building position: from the quarterback coach to offensive line coach.

 

The RedHawks’ offense is looking to inflict some damage on their opponents with their star quarterback, Zac Dysert. Dysert recorded several record books games for the RedHawks by holding the number four spot on the single- passing yardage leaders list at Miami University with 426 yards. He is also number seven on the list for single game total yardage leaders.  

 

The guy who holds the number one spot on both of these lists at Miami is current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

 

The RedHawks are returning every member of their 2009 offensive line, lead by experienced senior Brandon Brooks with 24 starts. Steve Marck led the tight ends with six catches for 72 yards and one touchdown. Star wide receiver Armand Robinson had 67 receptions for 788 yards and four touchdowns last year.

 

On the defensive line in 2009, linebacker Jerrell Wedge recorded 114 tackles while defensive back Jordan Gafford, back from injury, made 64 stops in eight games.  Special teams will look to Jim Broadway to fulfill his punting duties, where he averaged 34.6 yards per punt with his longest kick of 52 yards. Jamal Rogers will be the top punt returner and kickoff returner for the ReHawks in the 2010 season.

 

All these players are looking to make an impact for their Miami RedHawks team against the heavily favored Gators. Having to play in the inhospitable “Swamp”, the RedHawks are going to have to dig down deep to knock out one of the top football programs in the country.

 

 

Returning starters for the Miami (Ohio) offense (10)

 

C- Brad Bednar, 6’4, 283, Sophomore

LG- Bob Gulley, 6’4, 308, Senior

RG- Nate Williams, 6’5, 308, Senior

LT- Brandon Brooks, 6’5, 315, Senior

RT- Matt Kennedy, 6’5, 308, Sophomore

TE- Kendrick Bruton, 6’4, 264, Junior

WR- Jamal Rogers, 5’11, 172, Senior

WR- Armand Robinson, 6’1, 200 Senior

QB- Zac Dysert, 6’4, 207, Sophomore

RB- Thomas Merriweather, 5’10, 214, Senior

 

 

Returning starters for the Miami (Ohio) defense (9)

 

DT- Austin Brown, 6’2, 275, Sophomore

DE- Morris Council, 6’2, 267, Junior

DE- Will Diaz, 6’5, 251, Sophomore

MLB- Jerrell Wedge, 5’9, 222, Junior

SLB- DeAndre Gilmore, 6’1, 236, Senior

WLB- Evan Harris, 6’0, 222, Sophomore

CB- Brandon Stephens, 5’10, 205, Senior

FS- Anthony Kokal, 6’0, 202, Junior

SS- Jordan Gafford, 6’0, 207, Senior

 

 

Returning starters for the Miami (Ohio) special teams (1)

 

K- Trevor Cook, 6’2, 197, Senior

 

 

 

 

TIRE KINGDOM EXTENDS TITLE RIGHTS SPONSORSHIP OF NHRA GATORNATIONALS WITH MULTI-YEAR DEAL

GLENDORA, Calif. (Aug. 23, 2010) - NHRA announced today that Tire Kingdom®, a leading brand of service centers for Florida-based TBC Retail Group Inc. (TBC), has signed a multi-year contract extension to continue its title rights sponsorship of the tradition-rich NHRA Gatornationals at historic Gainesville Raceway.

In addition to title sponsorship of the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals, Tire Kingdom will be a national partner of the NHRA Youth and Education Services (YES) Program presented by the U.S. Army, utilizing its Tire Kingdom, NTB-National Tire and Battery®, Merchant's Tire and Auto Centers®, and Big O Tires® brands.  TBC Retail Group will also have a presence in NHRA's Manufacturer's Midway at a number of events on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule throughout the year.

"After its successful support of this year's Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals, TBC Retail Group decided to extend and expand its relationship with NHRA," said Tony Driscoll, vice president of sales and business development, NHRA.  "We are excited to have the TBC Retail Group brands associated with NHRA at the title rights level and within the NHRA YES program presented by the U.S. Army."

The Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals has a long and storied history serving as the East Coast opener for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Next year, the event will celebrate its 42nd anniversary of thrilling fans throughout the state of Florida, and as the home to numerous records and memorable moments. In 2011, NHRA will be celebrating its 60th anniversary and will announce a number of special events and activities planned throughout the year.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to become multi-year sponsors of the NHRA Gatornationals since The Tire Kingdom Gatornationals was a tremendous success for us last year," said Bob Crostarosa, senior vice president, marketing and advertising, TBC Retail Group. "This relationship has enhanced our exposure in the Florida market where the Tire Kingdom brand has a huge presence. We are fired up to engage our associates and customers as we increase our participation in the NHRA."

Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, TBC Retail Group, Inc., a subsidiary of TBC Corporation, operates more than 770 tire and automotive service centers under the brands: Tire Kingdom, NTB - National Tire and Battery, and Merchant's Tire and Auto Centers, along with nearly 500 franchised Big O Tires locations. The contingent of nearly 1300 stores has trained and certified ASE technicians who use state-of-the-art equipment to provide quality service on cars and trucks.  The nationwide warranty provides peace of mind while it protects consumers and their investment in over 40 states.  TBC Retail Group employs more than 300 associates at its Juno Beach, Fla. headquarters and approximately 10,000 associates nationally. To locate a store near you, call 800-NEW-TIRE. TBC Corporation, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is one of the nation's largest marketers of automotive replacement tires through a multi-channel retail and wholesale strategy. 

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks worldwide. As the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States, NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. Two NHRA-sanctioned bracket racing series provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels: the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

 

Quarterback John Brantley is still the best passing high school quarterback that I’d ever seen when you break down his skill set. He was sound mechanically, possessed the physical attributes to play the position, and knew where to go with the football. We’re counting down the final days, hours, and minutes before the kickoff against Miami (Ohio) where we’ll get a first glimpse into the Brantley Era II. (His father, John Brantley III played the position in the late ‘70’s for the Gators.   

 

I thought that it was interesting to see how two of the Florida coaches reacted to questions about Brantley. Quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler was asked about Brantley’s mental grasp of the game.  

 

“He understands the mental aspects of the game,” Loeffler said. “He understands how to weave himself through a progression. He understands movement keys and at the end of the day, throw the ball to the right colored jersey. Those are what he does really well- really, really well.”

 

Head coach Urban Meyer was later asked to describe Brantley’s best on the field attribute.  

 

“His best attribute is his release and ability to throw the ball,” Meyer said. “Football-wise, he throws a great ball.”

 

The difference in the questions as posed to Loeffler and Meyer are obvious. But, I found it interesting that Loeffler took us from the huddle to the release of the ball, while Meyer focused on Brantley’s mechanics. Loeffler’s was specifically asked about the mental aspect and decribed them as something he does, “really well, really, really well.” Meanwhile, Meyer took a general observation and focused on mechanics.

 

The result was that both coaches took different paths toward describing a prototypical quarterback.    

 

Combining Brantley’s skills with the return of a veteran offensive line and backfield have provided plenty of reason for optimism. An established running game will only serve to help Brantley and a group of inexpereinced, but talented receivers. The key in all of this may very well be the tight end position, where Jordan Reed could really help open things up.

 

 

The 2006 senior class at Garland High School voted him “Most Likely to Succeed”. And Florida defensive tackle Brandon Antwine has demonstrated plenty of resolve, which should translate into a number of examples of persistence and endurance to share with his Garland, Texas classmates when they get together for their 10-year reunion.   

 

The fifth-year senior was the recipient of the 2008 Fed-Ex Orange Bowl Courage Award and received a nomination for the Disney Sports Spirit Award as he battled back from a career threatening back injury. Antwine received a medical hardship in 2007.

 

He battled and battled and battled once again through a series of injuries that caused him to miss several games last season with a shoulder injury. At various stages, many of us were convinced that he’d never play another down at the University of Florida.

 

We were wrong.  

 

His love of the game and team pushed him through the grueling rehab sessions. It was his sheer determination to play the game that he loves that carried him through.  And nobody loves a fighter more than those in the coaching profession.

 

Florida defensive line coach Dan McCarney had to choke back the tears when asked about injury-plagued Antwine during Florida’s Media Day on Tuesday.

 

“He could have gone long ago and just taken a scholarship and taken a medical and helped in the weight room and just hung out,” McCarney said. “He doesn’t want that. He keeps coming back. That’s how much passion and love that he has for the game. That’s how much he cares about his teammates and the defensive line here at Florida. He’s an unbelievable guy. Just amazing. To come back and be good. He’s not just back out just hanging around. He’s really practicing well. So, I say prayers for him everyday that he stays healthy, because God, he’s been through so much. If he can stay healthy I think that he could be one of those guys that could be a national story for what he’s overcome. It’s an amazing accomplishment already just to be at practice everyday.”

 

Antwine’s battlefield is in the interior line against centers, guards, and often a fullback. He mans the one technique and is pushing Omar Hunter for the starting job.

 

“When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best football players on the Florida football team,” McCarney said without hesitation. “When he’s healthy. He’s not just a guy with a big, strong body. I mean, he’s one of the best players on this team, on this defense. It’s just been so hard for him to do that because he’s been through so many major injuries”

 

The 6’0, 290 pounder is reportedly in good shape and ready to shake off the rust and compete for a starting role. If he can stay healthy, he’ll definitely play a major role in the Florida defense.   

 

“He’s fast,” McCarney stated. “He’s athletic. He’s fast twitched. He’s physical. He’s go great hands. He’s got quick feet. He’s extremely powerful coming off the ball. He always plays with great bend in his knees. He’s just a real athletic, physical guy- just what you’re looking for.”

 

Perhaps finally, in this his senior year, his fight will be on the field and not in the training room.

 

 

The Gators will participate in their first scrimmage on Saturday and veteran defensive line coach Dan McCarney is looking for a few good men to come off the edge and pressure the passer. McCarney said that seniors Justin Trattou (6’4, 255) and Duke Lemmens (6’3, 250) are currently the starters at defensive end.  I don’t expect that to change right away.  

 

Florida has five defensive ends with two or more years on the roster (Trattou, Lemmens, William Green, Earl Okine, and Lerentee McCray) that have a combined 10 sacks. Former defensive end Carlos Dunlap had nine sacks last season, while Jermaine Cunningham had seven. Furthermore, the duo combined for 22.5 tackles for loss.

 

“Those (Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap) are two of the best pass rushers, two of the best players in college football. They ended up being two of the top fifty-three, fifty-four picks in the country, so those big plays were game changing plays. I know that we have guys that can be solid and consistent, but, who can step-up and make those plays on third down, in goal line stands, and third and eight. And who’s going to get the pressure? Who’s going to get the sack? Who’s going to knock a ball out? All of those plays that they made were just almost endless the last couple years. So, if it’s by committee or two starters or whatever, somebody’s got to find a way to do that because those guys are gone now?”

 

Career stats for returning veterans at defensive end

 

 

 

Player	Sacks	TBL	FF	FR	INT
Justin Trattou	7	15	1	1	2
Duke Lemmens	2	23	1	0	0
William Green	1	5	0	0	0
Earl Okine	0	0	0	0	0
Lerentee McCray	0	0	0	0	0
	10	43	2	1	2

 

 

Florida brought in the nation’s best defensive line class, including all-American Ronald Powell, who some argue was the top player in the nation. The hope is that Powell (6’4, 248) will be able to utilize his speed, quickness, and size to provide immediate help for the Gators.  

 

 “It’s too early to tell,” McCarney said regarding Powell’s immediate impact. “It’s really unfair what’s been put on his shoulders. The kid might have a great career? The rest of that we have no control over. It wasn’t like he was going to come in here and be ready to start in the NFL. Some of the stuff you read, you’d almost think that. He had his first inside drill inside the SEC the other day and it wasn’t a lot of fun. You know guys (veterans) kind of wait sometimes for guys that have those fifteen stars behind their name to come here and see if they can humble them a little bit. It’s human nature. He’s a really good prospect, but whether he’s ready or not this year, it’s just too early to tell.”

 

There is no question that Powell is a very talented prospect though.

 

“Sensational player,” McCarney replied. “I felt that way about all of those five scholarships scholarship defensive linemen that I brought in this year. There are no disappointments. I just don’t know which ones are going to be able to play yet this year. It’s the best young group of young defensive linemen that I’ve ever been around. But, I don’t know if any of them are going to be ready to play this year. They’re all going to be really good players, it’s just a matter of when, not if.”  

 

Trattou has the most experience of any Florida veteran. He has spent much of his career as a productive role player playing inside and outside on the defensive front. No, he hasn’t made big play after big play, but he hustles and makes the effort to do exactly what the coaches tell him to do. This year, McCarney and company are expecting him to make big plays for the defense and get the opposing offense off the field.

 

“He’s got to,” McCarney said of Trattou. “He will, I really believe that he will. We’ve got him at Fox. He’s playing the same position as Jermaine Cunningham did last year. We’re hoping that he can do the same thing. Jermaine, at the end of his junior year came in and wanted to know if he should leave early and I said, “No, you must not have gotten any sleep last night? What did you have a bad night? No, you’re not leaving early. You’re a free agent. Come back, be productive and have a great senior year and maybe you can take care of your kids for a long time.”

 

“And the rest is history,” McCarney added. “He was one of the top fifty-five picks in the country and I’m hoping that Trat can do the same thing, because out of his junior year, he would have been a free agent. Go have a great senior year, be productive, make plays, and put yourself in a position to take care of your family for a longtime too. I believe that he can and hope that he will.”

 

I honestly expected Green (6’4, 252) to have played a bigger role by this point. It hasn’t happened. Okine (6’7, 282) should be a little further along too. Tight ends coach Brian White did tell me that they are still using him as a part-time blocker in obvious blocking sets. Both will be in danger of being quickly passed by Powell on the depth chart.  

 

 McCray is just beginning to settle in at defensive end after playing linebacker. His quickness and athleticism is his biggest asset. McCray and Green are the back-ups. It will be interesting to see if he can stick on the two-deep.

 

True freshmen Lynden Trail was a big play specialist at Miami’s Booker T Washington High School.  The 6’7, 217 pound speedster has stated that he needs to work on his technique. The Florida staff is also focusing on some much needed weight for Trail to endure the physical pounding he’ll receive in the Southeastern Conference.

 

“He’s put on twenty-two pounds, still not very physical, really athletic.” McCarney said of Trail. “Really athletic, but not very strong right now. If he just follows (Strength and Conditioning Coordinator) Mickey Marotti’s lead, he’ll be strong and physical some day.” 

 

“He’s a good mature young man,” McCarney added. “He’s married. He’s walking in those shoes as a husband right now. Most guys don’t in college, but he seems to be handling real well. This is a tough grind right now. It is for all of those guys.  That’s why we’ve got to put our arms around all of them and don’t let them (freshmen) get too far from us and don’t start getting that I-75 look like they’re getting ready to pack bags and go home. We’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

 

 

McLeod’s take: McCarney has said that two, perhaps more, of the true freshmen defensive linemen will play this year. I would definitely expect Ronald Powell (DE), Sharrif Floyd (DT) to play right away. I would be very surprised if both Dominick Easley (DT) and Leon Orr (DT) play this season. Trail could be a factor next season after a year of bulking-up. Injuries are always a factor though and you hope that somebody isn’t forced into action prematurely.